1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of geochemical prospecting for buried sulphur and sulphide mineralization, and, more particularly, to a method of collecting and analyzing soil samples to determine the presence of buried sulphur and sulphide mineralization.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The field of sulphur gas geochemical prospecting is dominated by procedures recommending the use of interstitial soil gas as a sampling medium whether the measure gas is collected over a short or over a long period of time. Rouse, G. E. and Stevens, D. N. 1971, The Use Of Sulfur Dioxide Gas Geochemistry In The Detection Of Sulfide Deposits; Journal Of Geochemical Exploration, June, 1978, Hinkle, M. E. and Kantor, J. A., Collection And Analysis Of Soil Gases Emanating From Buried Sulfide Mineralization. When a solid natural substrate is mentioned in the literature as a sample type in a sulphur gas geochemical survey, the indication is that soil and humus are effective accumulators of sulphur gases derived from buried sulphur gas producing ore deposits. Rose, A. W. Hawks, H. E. and Webb, J. S., Geochemistry In Mineral Exploration, Second Edition, Academic Press.
There is nothing in the prior art which indicates that natural degradation of plant and organic matter causes a significant interference in sulphur gas prospecting surveys in the generation of the same naturally stable sulphur gases emitted by buried mineral deposits. There is also nothing in the prior art which indicates that soil depth is critical in establishing informative anomaly patterns in sulphur gas geochemical prospecting. In fact, the published literature recommending humus and interstitial soil gas as sample types (Geochemistry In Mineral Exploration, ibid) has probably served more to hinder than to help the sulphur gas geochemistry prospector. Geochemistry In Mineral Exploration, Ibid.